Inbreeding among polygamists along the Arizona-Utah border is producing a caste of severely retarded and deformed children

Interesting article about another cult where the leaders are controlling all marriages. Some differences between FLDS and UBF: Instead of recruiting new members, they bear children (the growth rate will be probably similar as in UBF). UBF has so far only spiritual inbreeding, not biological. Nevertheless the UBF leaders ordered abortions to solve their problems, something that FLDS refuses to do.

Here are some excerpts from the first link that rang a bell because they describe my symptoms as a member of UBF:

"Dr. Frank Ochberg, who was credited with defining Stockholm Syndrome in the 1970s, said it developed when 'positive feelings form [between] hostage to hostage-taker, reflected back from taker to hostage. And both of them against outsiders. It's automatic. It's unconscious.'

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A Surprise Coping Mechanism

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Experts said she [Natascha] might have been bound emotionally and chose to continue living with him out of irrational affection.

'There is a phenomenon in psychology called identification with the aggressor,' Ablow said.

'When you're powerless, your mind allows you to adopt an affiliation with the person who holds the keys.'

'It's unbearable to think your life could be threatened at any time,' he said. 'So what you tell yourself unconsciously is, "It's not like that. I'm part of the group that's holding me."' ["God has called me to UBF; I must be faithful no matter what."]

And here's an excerpt from the Wikipedia article about Stockholm Syndrome:

Loyalty to a more powerful abuser — in spite of the danger that this loyalty puts the victim in — is common among victims of domestic abuse, battered partners and child abuse (dependent children). In many instances the victims choose to remain loyal to their abuser, and choose not to leave him or her, even when they are offered a safe placement in foster homes or safe houses. This syndrome was described by psychoanalysts of the object relations theory school (see Fairbairn) as the phenomenon of psychological identification with the more powerful abuser.

Warren Jeffs, like Joseph Smith before him, has emphasized the importance of obedience among members of the church. Jeffs is following a long-established practice -- started by Smith 170 years ago -- of excommunicating those who do not strictly adhere to church leaders' commands.

"Joseph Smith was also selecting for the 'obedience gene.' He was kicking people out, too, who weren't obedient.

"I hate to talk like this about my own genealogy," Wyler says, "but, literally, they are keeping all the breeding stock -- the women, the [strictly faithful] men -- and weeding out the disobedient men."

I have been following the FLDS situation pretty closely. Discussed this a little with others, and we came up with a premise that the FLDS situation has created the most zealous loyalty by appealing to men's lust for young women. It is actually a type of pedophilia, where a 50 year old man is looking forward to sex with a 16-18 year woman. Warren Jeffs provided this as a reality for his most zealous followers. His zealous followers do not display any revulsion to the under age marriages, instead they are willing to do anything to defend Jeffs and the practice. I think it appeals so strongly to a carnal man's sinful nature that he will not resist. Instead, they turn it around to being 'God's will' and achieve their fantasy.

In the FLDS, the women are subjugated by having no freedom of choice in lifes matters, never ever. Women are bartered and traded like property. BUT, to the FLDS, the women are a very valuable property, one that keeps the men loyal to the group and the leader. When a men is not loyal enough, he is not allowed to marry (sound familiar) and if he is married, he can even have his wives and children taken away and re-assigned to other, more loyal men. What a sick basis for their lives, their families, and their communities.

The ubf has a different but also sick and crooked view of women, family, and their community. I am not sure which one is worse, probably the FLDS. But ubf has nothing to brag about. ubf may be worse because they have access to healthy teachings and sound doctrine, but reject it in favor of ubf tradition, which is crooked.